Although I’m 100% positive I’m not the only one who goes by a daily system/schedule such as this, I was unaware that not many people blog about it. I found that out this morning while researching for this blog post. Where are all the blog posts about daily schedules?!? I want to see yours! I’m fascinated by how other people run their day to day lives and businesses!

I first learned the importance of developing an Ideal Morning from Lara Casey at the Pursuit Community (then Pursuit 31) Conference in 2013. It was such a simple idea but it blew my mind. How many of my work days aren’t focused or start later than need be because I didn’t have my Ideal Morning routine set in place? Once I arrived home from the conference, I took it one step further and created my Ideal Day and it has been worked like a charm! A few months later, however, I started working as a part time nurse (again) and that Ideal Day took a place on the back burner. Because of that, and other related reasons, I slowly began losing control over my day to day tasks of running my business. That directly impacted how the rest of my day went and before I knew it, I was editing images and replying to emails at 10 o’clock at night instead of cuddling on the couch with my husband and watching our shows. NOT ideal at all.

Even though it had become a drain on my business, I loved loved loved my part time nursing job and kept at it until I just couldn’t anymore. When I went back to school to complete my master’s in nursing at the beginning of this new year I had to make the tough decision to take a very early and therefore extended maternity leave from the doctor’s office. The very next day I re-created my Ideal Day, printed it on card-stock, and pinned it to the wall in my make shifted office in the eat-in area of the kitchen. Of course, as soon as our Little Guy gets here, my Ideal Day will look completely different! But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it… *disclaimer: mine is incredibly detailed because it works best for me.

My Ideal Morning: 8:00 – 9:30
+ Wake up when alarm first goes off
+ Put pants and slippers on
+ Open curtains and blinds in bedroom
+ Let dogs outside
+ Feed dogs
+ Drink 8 oz of water
+ Make breakfast
+ Eat breakfast
+ Clean up kitchen, unload dishwasher
+ Set out dinner ingredients to thaw
+ Shower and get ready for the day

My Ideal Work Day, part 1: 9:30 – 12:30
+ Sit down at desk
+ Open email, answer emails, add tasks to to-do list, close email
+ Open Facebook, post on page about the day, add tasks to the to-do list, close Facebook
+ Open Instagram on phone, comment and like other’s posts, post about the day, close Instagram
+ Open 17hats, add tasks to to-do list, update client workflows, close 17hats
+ Post session or wedding sneak peek on Facebook and Instagram, if applicable
+ Blog, post blog on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest
+ Open email, answer emails, add tasks to to-do list, close email
+ Leave desk

My Ideal Lunch Break: 12:30 – 2:00
+ Fix lunch
+ Eat lunch
+ Clean up from lunch
+ Do daily devotional
+ Make personal phone calls
+ Make exercise plans for the night
+ Walk dogs, if weather permits

My Ideal Work Day, part 2: 2:00 – 5:00
+ Sit down at desk
+ Open email, answer emails, add tasks to to-do list, close email
+ Tackle to-do list
+ Open Facebook, check business page, check profile, add tasks to tomorrow’s to-do list, close Facebook
+ Open 17hats, update workflow, add tasks to tomorrow’s to-do list, close 17hats
+ Open email, answer emails, add tasks to tomorrow’s to-do list, close email
+ Update tomorrow’s to-do list
+ Leave desk

My Ideal Night: 5:00 – 11:00
+ Cook dinner
+ Eat dinner
+ Clean up kitchen
+ Exercise
+ Do homework
+ Do house chores
+ Watch TV with Neil
+ Pick up house
+ Start dish washer
+ Get ready for bed
+ Go to bed

I hope I’ve encouraged you to go be more intentional with your day and your time. I’d LOVE to see your Ideal Day!